I was reading/singing the Farmer in the Dell to the kids the other day while my friend was over cleaning for me.  I was singing along, the farmer takes a wife, the wife takes a child and then the child takes a nurse.  My friend looks over after the part about the nurse and says, "and then the mom takes a nap."

And it got me thinking– what did the wife actually do when her child took a nurse?  I mean, did she do the housework?  Because that would stink.  I spent all day yesterday cleaning, hardly played with my kids, and I felt exhausted. 

The more I think about the song, the more I think, I could really use either a.) a full time nanny or b.) a full time cleaning lady.  I would probably take the cleaning lady so I could spend time with the people I spent so much time creating.  And yet, I could use a "nurse" too.  Us mom’s need some me time.  I know I need to be able to go to the store without people who touch stuff the moment you tell them to not touch anything.

Seriously.  This has got me thinking.  When did motherhood start getting so complicated?  When did motherhood come with so many expectations?  Between the piles of laundry, the toilet bowl, the grocery shopping, the cooking, the bill paying and the window washing, when am I supposed to have time for my kids?  And let’s not forget I am supposed to be a wife too.  And no, I don’t wash my windows, unless you count letting the kids paint them first and then having them sponge them down.

We are getting the raw end of the deal here ladies!  Forget universal health care, I think what we need is universal mom care!  Every mother should be entitled to a cleaning lady at least once a week!  A restaurant dinner just as often!  A date night with the hubs!  And it should somehow magically fit into our budgets!  Mothers of the blogosphere UNITE!

Who’s with me?